Portraying Lesbian Cheerleader on Glee Wins Actress Accolades

Not so long ago, a lesbian cheerleader was the stuff of B-movie titillation, but Hollywood has clearly evolved. Actress Naya Rivera has seen her profile rise considerably since the character she plays on Glee, Santana Lopez, was revealed to be gay. In a profile of the actress, the LA Times notes:

Off the set, she’s done a gay-themed Q&A with Vanity Fair, seen her stock soar on sites like AfterEllen, a lesbian media website, and won the ultimate honor for any aspiring gay icon: a gig as host of the GLAAD Media Awards.

Rivera has also seen her on-screen time increased, as Santana’s sexual identity becomes more of a central plot point on the show. Playing gay was long viewed as career suicide, so it’s heartening to hear of it being a career boost.